On the occasion of publication
of Gaku Azuma’s photo book “Dress Code”
Yasuhito Mimura, Producer


In his new book, Azuma, who is often referred to as a “modern Hokusai*”, brings into full play his outstanding ability both as an ink-brush painter and as an art director.

Looking back, it was more than 20 years ago when I first met him. He was painting with acrylics then. Later on, he changed his style and began to paint with ink. What did not change was his theme: women. Since then, we have been working together in various events, live painting projects and exhibitions, including “Ainosuke Kataoka Special Performance” which was the opening performance of Kintetsu Art Theater. He became my closest associate in both my personal life and in business. One day, Azuma told me that he had started something interesting, which turned out to be hadae, or painting on skin. The first thing I thought was, “What, Gaku-chan, you paint on women’s bodies? That’s the best canvas! Soft, moving, and emotional!” It was easy for me to imagine that these “canvases” would inspire Azuma’s sensitivity and creativity and generate the synergy between artist and model that would take his art to the next level.

From a professional point of view, the concept of bodypainting is recognized to some extent. For example, in Austria, a bodypainting world championship called “World Bodypainting Festival (WBF)” has been taking place annually for more than 20 years. WBF attracts artists from 45 nations and more than 30,000 spectators. Artists compete with a given theme in specialized categories depending on tools such as brushes and sponge, airbrushes, special effects or UV bodypaints and black lights. They offer numerous demonstrations and workshops as well. More make-up artists take part in WBF than painting artists. In Japan, we have the “Japan Facepainting Association” and some beauty schools offer lessons in which students paint pictures directly on human skin. These facts show that bodypainting has developed primarily from the process of applying makeup, but has incorporated pictorial elements as well.

How Azuma creates his work might be similar to applying makeup. When women want to change their makeup or hairdo, they consult with a professional hair stylist and say something like “I want to get a new look and new me” or “I want to look like this kind of lady”. In my opinion, there are originally three purposes in makeup: to cover flaws, to enhance advantages and become more beautiful, and to reveal the jujutsu-like magic that makes women shine. In the case of Azuma, he has a conversation with his model to decide what motif he draws on her skin. That is to say, Azuma casts a spell on his models by helping them cover their flaws, make their wishes come true. This is logical when you think of it in the context of makeup. Azuma told me that the process of the hadae collaboration takes almost a whole night, 7 to 12 hours. He paints pictures on his model’s skin. Then they do a photo-shoot. After the entire process is finished, the model goes and takes a shower. Azuma stated that the models look exquisite after washing the pictures away.

There are various materials for bodypainting. Aqueous painting materials spread well but last for a shorter time than other materials. On the other hand, oil-based painting materials are sweat and water resistant, but don’t spread well. Both materials come in liquid, solid, stick, gel, powder and so on. You would notice they are exactly like cosmetics. It is also important to prepare the canvas on which you paint, in this case, the skin. As with makeup, what matters when painting on women’s skins is skin types and peach fuzz. So, like applying foundations when you wear makeup, you shave peach fuzz and apply baby powder on the model’s skin to counter body oil. This preparation is especially critical when you use aqueous painting material such as liquid ink. To understand that, think of airbrushed illustrations and coloring pages for kids.

Azuma’s style is characterized by the expressive beautiful lines he draws with Japanese brush and ink and, sometimes, with eyeliners. He visualizes what the model wants to see on her body. He appreciates her uniqueness and enhances it with the sensitiveness of the traditional Japanese painting style and his own immense talent for drawing beautiful lines. That is what differentiates Azuma’s work from conventional bodypainting. I suppose that’s why he calls his bodypainting hadae or painting on skin. The art of hadae rests on creating a form of traditional Japanese art painted on women’s skin.

When we look at the art scene from a broader perspective, it can be deemed to have been in stagnation in the category of 2D pictures since the end of Neo-expressionism in the 1990s. In that context, Azuma’s hadae work is very meaningful because, as fewer and fewer breakthroughs in new techniques, styles, and forms of expression appear in the established art scene, the significance of new styles emerging from the artistic subculture and underground art scene will increase dramatically. I am very curious to see how the talented artist Azuma flourishes in his form of expression with working with model, the women he admires, as the primary inspiration driving his art. This photo book is the first stage of the journey. How high will he reach in his life work? Will he cause a stir in the art scene? I’ll be watching him along with his fans!

令和の北斎「東學（あずま・がく）」が、“女性のからだ”というキャンバスを得て、今生に生み出す“肌絵（はだえ）”たち。モデルひとりひとりの心とチューニングしたうえで、筆に浸した墨を糸のように操り、花や蝶から化け物、幾何学模様までさまざまなモチーフを纏わせる。その仕事の全貌を結実させます。東と180余名のモデル、写真画集制作に関わるクリエイターの智の結晶として産声をあげる「美しすぎる共犯写真画集」にご期待ください。